Beyoncé Knowles, freedom fighter September 5, 2006

Beyoncé Knowles, freedom fighter | Salon.com This month, Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s “Déjà vu” is No. 1 on the top 40 of the biggest Muslim nation in the world, Indonesia. Nine of the top 10 songs on the United Arab Emirates singles chart are hip-hop or R&B. Earlier this year Egyptian rappers MTM — whose hit song “Ummi Musafra” (“My Mother’s Away”) is about a teenager who holds a dance party while his mother is away on holiday — were voted best modern Arab act at the first Arabian Music Awards. Several journalists have reported on the vast Iranian black market in Western music and movies of all sorts. And everyone seems to agree that youth in Iran are engaged in widespread rebellion against Islamic sharia law. Tattoos, sneakers, platform shoes, belly rings, and public displays of affection are ubiquitous in the most militantly Islamic republic.